


(Christmas) Carol's Little Helpers

by Sorran



Series: Fool's Errands [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Everybody's oblivious sometimes, First Kiss, Multi, Rickyl Writers' Group, Rickyl Writers' Group December 2015 Challenge, The Nile
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 05:55:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5445719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorran/pseuds/Sorran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everybody's oblivious sometimes. Thank goodness Carol is here to save the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. (Christmas) Carol's Little Helpers

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [April Valentine](http://archiveofourown.org/users/April_Valentine/pseuds/April_Valentine) for betaing.
> 
> Happy holidays everyone! :)

It’s no use. At first she just put up a few sprigs, on the main door into the cell block, and one in Rick’s cell and by Daryl’s perch each. When that didn’t work, she went back out for more. Twice. It’s everywhere now - each and every way into and out of the cell block, every cell, even the dining area - but Rick and Daryl aren’t biting. The place is starting to look like a damn greenhouse, and they just don’t see it. 

So Carol takes to physically steering them. Blocking Rick’s path here, giving Daryl a gentle push there. She ropes Glenn and Maggie into helping her herd them, and it. Still. Doesn’t. Work. Even though Rick and Daryl are as close as ever, Carol and her little helpers just can’t seem to get them into the right place at the right time.

One evening - the tenth night of Christmas by committee decision - Carol has had enough. She waits until most folk have left the dining area - they don’t need an audience for this - then she snatches up the nearest bit of greenery, marches over to where Daryl and Rick are lingering over the remains of their dinners, next to each other as always, and clears her throat. 

“Oh look”, she says when she has their attention. “Mistletoe.” She wiggles the little plant over Rick’s and Daryl’s heads for emphasis.

Daryl looks at her blankly, and Rick frowns in confusion. “Oh, is that what that is?” he comments. “I thought it looked familiar.”

“The hell’s it for anyway?” Daryl wants to know. “That shit’s appeared everywhere. Can’t go anywhere without having to dodge the crap.”

And then it seems to dawn on Rick. Eyeing Carol and her mistletoe warily, he states: “It’s for…” He scratches the back of his neck. “... kissing.”

Daryl snorts. “What, like some sorta voodoo spell? Horseshit. Mistletoe ain’t good for anything. Don’t even burn right.”

“That’s not…” Rick flounders. He is starting to look like Carl just asked him what the bees and the birds have to do with babies being born, so Carol takes pity on him.

“It’s a Christmas tradition”, she explains, eyes twinkling. “You hang up bits of mistletoe in doorways, and lovers kiss underneath it.” She wiggles the plant in her hand again.

“What you holding it over us for then? We ain’t lovers”, Daryl protests, even as Rick blushes faintly.

Carol just smiles. “Pookie, if dragging Glenn all the way to Atlanta just to get you some beer and roping me into tackling a herd for a baseball card isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”

Her statement is followed by stunned silence. Then Rick and Daryl simultaneously turn to narrow their eyes at each other. “You said you got the beer from the bar down the road!” Daryl glares at Rick, who in turn accuses: “You said you found the card in the abandoned house by the gas station!”

“Yep”, Carol says to no one in particular. “True love.”

The two men stare at each other as if they see the other, really see them, for the first time. Daryl’s expression is searching, unsure, Rick’s… Whatever Daryl sees in Rick’s face, it makes him lick his lips and swallow nervously.

“I do love you”, the hunter whispers roughly, so low not even Carol can hear it. Then he closes his eyes and lowers his head, like a man waiting for the axe to fall.

Rick reaches out to gently trace Daryl’s cheekbone with his thumb before sliding his hand into Daryl’s hair and connecting their lips in a featherlight kiss.

“I know”, he smiles against Daryl’s mouth and rests their foreheads together.


	2. Bonus chapter: alternative ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's the oblivious one, really?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the result of the little devil on my left shoulder going: "Do you know what else could've happened?"
> 
> The little angel on my right shoulder said "No way!", but the devil insisted "Yes way." They argued for a while, and then agreed to compromise by writing an alternative ending and posting it as a bonus chapter. So here's what didn't happen, but could've. Maybe.

It’s no use. At first she just put up a few sprigs, on the main door into the cell block, and one in Rick’s cell and by Daryl’s perch each. When that didn’t work, she went back out for more. Twice. It’s everywhere now - each and every way into and out of the cell block, every cell, even the dining area - but Rick and Daryl aren’t biting. The place is starting to look like a damn greenhouse, and they just don’t see it. 

So Carol takes to physically steering them. Blocking Rick’s path here, giving Daryl a gentle push there. She ropes Glenn and Maggie into helping her herd them, and it. Still. Doesn’t. Work. Even though Rick and Daryl are as close as ever, Carol and her little helpers just can’t seem to get them into the right place at the right time.

One evening - the tenth night of Christmas by committee decision - Carol has had enough. She waits until most folk have left the dining area - they don’t need an audience for this - then she snatches up the nearest bit of greenery, marches over to where Daryl and Rick are lingering over the remains of their dinners, next to each other as always, and clears her throat. 

“Oh look”, she says when she has their attention. “Mistletoe.” She wiggles the little plant over Rick’s and Daryl’s heads for emphasis.

Daryl looks at her blankly, and Rick frowns in confusion. “Oh, is that what that is?” he comments. “I thought it looked familiar.”

“The hell’s it for anyway?” Daryl wants to know. “That shit’s appeared everywhere. Can’t go anywhere without having to dodge the crap.”

And then it seems to dawn on Rick. Eyeing Carol and her mistletoe warily, he states: “It’s for…” He scratches the back of his neck. “... kissing.”

Daryl snorts. “What, like some sorta voodoo spell? Horseshit. Mistletoe ain’t good for anything. Don’t even burn right.”

“That’s not…” Rick flounders. He is starting to look like Carl just asked him what the bees and the birds have to do with babies being born, so Carol takes pity on him.

“It’s a Christmas tradition”, she explains, eyes twinkling. “You hang up bits of mistletoe in doorways, and lovers kiss underneath it.” She wiggles the plant in her hand again.

“What you holding it over us for then?” Daryl queries even as Rick blushes faintly.

Carol just smiles. “Pookie, if dragging Glenn all the way to Atlanta just to get you some beer and roping me into tackling a herd for a baseball card isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”

Her statement is followed by stunned silence. Then Rick and Daryl simultaneously turn to narrow their eyes at each other. “You said you got the beer from the bar down the road!” Daryl glares at Rick, who in turn accuses: “You said you found the card in the abandoned house by the gas station!”

“Yep”, Carol says to no one in particular. “True love.”

The two men share a long look then, some unspoken communication passing between them that Carol can’t decipher, but before she has a chance to make anything of it, Rick and Daryl reach out as one and pull her down between them.

Carol lands with an undignified squawk, flailing awkwardly, half on Daryl’s lap and half on Rick’s, in danger of sliding off and landing on the floor in an even more undignified heap until they steady her with strong arms around her waist.

Rick’s kiss is shy and a little awkward, as if he isn’t quite sure of his welcome; Daryl’s is bold and heartfelt and feels like coming home. They both leave Carol breathless.

“What are you doing?” she asks, dazed, looking from Daryl’s sombre face to Rick’s hopeful one. “You’re supposed to kiss each other”, she adds weakly.

“Been doin’ that for a while, sweetpea”, Daryl says gently, corners of the mouth quirking up in a small smile as he looks at Rick over Carol’s shoulder.

“We just ain’t been able to work out how to get you to see what’s right in front of you”, Rick chuckles behind her. “You sure make the Nile look like a trickle, woman.”


End file.
